Container data center and heat dissipation system

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipation system for cabinet servers supported on a raised floor includes a condenser, airflow adjusting apparatus, a controller, and a temperature sensor located at an air outlet of each cabinet server. The raised floor defines air outlets adjacent to each cabinet server. The adjusting apparatus are mounted to the raised floor and aligning with the air outlets. Each of the airflow adjusting apparatus includes a number of shielding members rotatable relative to the raised floor and aligning with the air outlets, and a motor electrically coupled to the controller. The temperature sensors are electrically coupled to the controller. The condenser generates cool air entering the raised floor through the air inlet, to enter the cabinet servers through the airflow adjusting apparatus and the air outlets. The controller controls the shielding members to rotate, to change the opening size of the air outlets of the raised floor.

This application is a divisional application of a commonly-assignedapplication entitled “CONTAINER DATA CENTER AND HEAT DISSIPATIONSYSTEM”, filed on Dec. 27, 2013 with application Ser. No. 14/141,451.The disclosure of the above-identified application is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to container data centers, andparticularly to a container data center comprising a heat dissipationsystem.

2. Description of Related Art

Container data centers generally include a container and a row ofcabinet servers received in the container. Each cabinet server includesa number of severs generating a great amount of heat during operation.The heat needs to be dissipated timely to ensure the proper functioningof the container data center. Presently, the container comprises araised floor for supporting the cabinet servers, the raised floordefines an air inlet connected to a condenser, and a number of airoutlets adjacent to the server racks. Cool air enters the raised floorthrough the air inlet, and enters the container through the air outlets,cooling the cabinet servers. However, opening sizes of the air outletscannot to be changed, thus, the airflow flowing through the air outletsof the raised floor cannot be adjusted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referencesto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a container datacenter, wherein the container data center comprises a plurality ofairflow adjusting apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one of the airflow adjusting apparatus ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the circled portion III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the container data center of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing the container data center in astate of use.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 3, but showing a second embodiment of theairflow adjusting apparatus of the container data center.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a container data center 100. Thecontainer data center 100 comprises a container 20, a condenser 30, aplurality of airflow adjusting apparatus 50, a plurality of cabinetservers 60, and a controller 80 located in the container 20.

The container 20 comprises a bottom wall 22, a raised floor 25 locatedabove the bottom wall 22, and a top wall 24. The bottom wall 22 and theraised floor 25 cooperatively bound an airflow channel 26. The cabinetservers 60 are supported on the raised floor 25, and arranged in onerow. The condenser 30 is supported on the raised floor 25, and locatedat a first side of the cabinet servers 60. The raised floor 25 defines aplurality of air outlets 253 at a second side of the cabinet servers 60away from the condenser 30. The air outlets 253 are arranged along thearrangement direction of the cabinet servers 60. The raised floor 25defines an air inlet 251 communicating with the airflow channel 26, andthe air inlet 251 is connected to an air outlet of the condenser 30 by apipe.

A partition plate 23 is connected between the tops of the cabinetservers 60 and the top wall 24 of the container 20. A space of thecontainer 20 is divided to a heat channel 28 located at the first sideof the cabinet servers 60 and a cooling channel 27 located at the secondside of the cabinet servers 60. The condenser 30 is received in the heatchannel 20. The air outlets 253 communicate the cooling channel 27 tothe airflow channel 26. An upper portion of the first side of eachcabinet server 60 defines a plurality of air outlets 64 communicatingwith the heat channel 28, and the second side of each cabinet server 60defines a plurality of air inlets 62 communicating with the coolingchannel 27.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of each airflow adjusting apparatus 50comprising a substantially rectangular bracket 51 mounted to a bottomsurface of the raised floor 25 and aligning with the corresponding airoutlets 253, a plurality of shielding members 53 rotatably received inthe bracket 51, and a motor 55 for rotating the shielding members 53.The bracket 51 comprises two opposite end plates 512 and two oppositeside plates 513 connected between the end plates 512. The end plates 512and the side plates 513 cooperatively bound a through hole 514. The endplates 512 define a plurality pairs of shaft holes 515. The shaft holes515 of each pair are in alignment with each other. A mounting plate 516extends out from a bottom of one of the end plates 512. Each shieldingmember 53 comprises a substantially rectangular plate 531 received inthe through hole 514, two opposite shafts 532 extending out from twoopposite ends of the plate 531 and rotatably received in thecorresponding shaft holes 515 of each pair, and a gear 535 fitted aboutone of the shafts 532. The shielding member 53 rotates along a directionparallel to the side plates 513. The gears 535 are located at theoutside of the end plate 512 adjacent to the mounting plate 516, and arearranged in a row parallel to the end plate 512. Every two adjacentgears 535 mesh with each other. The motor 55 comprises a main body 551mounted to the mounting plate 516 and a drive gear 557 meshing with oneof the gears 535. The brackets 51 are arranged along the arrangementdirection of the air outlets 253.

The main body 551 drives the drive gear 557 to rotate, and the drivegear 557 drives the gears 535 to rotate, thereby rotating the plates 531to cover or uncover the through hole 514. Each motor 55 is electricallycoupled to the controller 80.

A temperature sensor 70 is located at the upper portions of each of thecabinet servers 60, adjacent to the air outlets 64 of the cabinetservers 60. The temperature sensors 70 are electrically coupled to thecontroller 80.

FIGS. 3-5 show that in use, the cabinet servers generate heat. Thecondensers 30 generate cool air flowing into the airflow channel 26through the air inlet 251. The cool air enters the cooling channel 27 ofthe container 20 through the through holes 514 and the air outlets 253,and then enters the cabinet servers 60 through the air inlets 62 of thecabinet servers 60. The heat of the cabinet servers 60 is transferred tothe cool air. Thus, the cool air is heated. The heated air flows intothe heat channel 28 through the air outlets 64 of the cabinet servers60. The temperature sensors 70 measure temperature of the air outlets 64of the cabinet servers 60. Each temperature sensor 70 outputs a signalcorresponding to the sensed temperature to the controller 80. The sensedtemperatures are compared by the controller 80.

If the temperature of the air outlets 64 of one of the cabinet servers60 is greater than the temperature of the air outlets 64 of the othercabinet servers 60, the controller 80 controls the motors 55 of thecorresponding airflow adjusting apparatus 50 below the cabinet server 60to operate to rotate the plates 531 to be parallel to the side plates513, thereby increasing an opening size of the through holes 514 of thecorresponding airflow adjusting apparatus 50, to increase airflow of thecool air flowing through the air outlets 253 corresponding to theairflow adjusting apparatus 50.

If the temperature of the air outlets 64 of one of the cabinet servers60 is less than the temperatures of the air outlets 64 of the othercabinet servers 60, the controller 80 controls the motors 55 of thecorresponding airflow adjusting apparatus 50 below the cabinet server 60to operate to rotate the plates 531 of the corresponding airflowadjusting apparatus 50 to decrease an opening size of the through holes514 of the corresponding airflow adjusting apparatus 50, to decreaseairflow of the cool air flowing through the air outlets 253corresponding to the airflow adjusting apparatus 50.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the airflow adjusting apparatus 50substantially similar to the first embodiment of the airflow adjustingapparatus 50. In the second embodiment, a space is defined between everytwo adjacent gears 535, and a connecting gear 539 is located in thespace, and meshes with the two adjacent gears 535.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoingdescription of embodiments, together with details of the structures andfunctions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only andchanges may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, andarrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the fullextent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which theappended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat dissipation system for dissipating heatfor a plurality of cabinet servers supported on a container, thecontainer comprising a bottom wall and a raised floor defining aplurality of air outlets adjacent to the cabinet servers, an airflowchannel being defined between the bottom wall and the raised floor, theheat dissipation system comprising: a condenser; a controller; aplurality of airflow adjusting apparatus, wherein, in use, the pluralityof airflow adjusting apparatus are mounted to the raised floor andaligning with the plurality of air outlets, each of the airflowadjusting apparatus comprises: a plurality of shielding members belowthe raised floor and rotatable to enable the airflow channel tocommunicate with a corresponding one of the air outlets; and a motorelectrically coupled to the controller; and a temperature sensor locatedat an air exhaust of each of the cabinet servers and configured tomeasure temperature of the air exhaust of a respective one of thecabinet servers; wherein, in use, the condenser generates cool air, thecool air firstly enters the airflow channel, then passes through theplurality of air outlets of the raised floor and the airflow adjustingapparatus to enter the cabinet servers, wherein according to thetemperatures of the air exhausts, the controller controls the motor ofeach of the airflow adjusting apparatus to rotate the shielding members,to change opening sizes of the plurality of air outlets of the raisedfloor, wherein each of the airflow adjusting apparatus further comprisesa bracket mounted to the raised floor, the bracket defines a throughhole aligning with the corresponding one of the air outlets of theraised floor, the shielding members are rotatably installed to thebracket and received in the through hole, wherein the bracket comprisestwo opposite end plates and two opposite side plates connected betweenthe end plates, the end plates and the side plates cooperatively boundthe through hole, the plurality of shielding members is rotatablyinstalled between the end plates along a direction parallel to the sideplates, and wherein the end plates define a plurality pairs of oppositeshaft holes, each of the shielding members comprises a plate received inthe through hole, two opposite shafts extending out from two ends of theplate and rotatably received in the shaft holes of a corresponding pairof the pairs of the opposite shaft holes, and a gear fitted about one ofthe two opposite shafts, the gear of each of the plurality of shieldingmembers is located outside a same one of the end plates, the gear andeach adjacent gear mesh with each other, the motor comprises a drivegear meshing with only one gear of each of the airflow adjustingapparatus, and wherein the bracket comprises a mounting plate extendsout from one of the end plates adjacent to the gear and each adjacentgear, the motor comprises a main body mounted to the mounting plate. 2.The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein when the temperature ofthe temperature sensor of the respective one of the cabinet servers isgreater than a temperature of the temperature sensor of each of othersof the cabinet servers, the controller controls the shielding membersbelow the respective one of the cabinet servers to rotate, a respectiveone of the opening sizes of the through hole of a corresponding one ofthe airflow adjusting apparatus is increased, to allow an airflow of thecool air flowing through the corresponding one of the air outlets of theraised floor to increase.
 3. The heat dissipation system of claim 2,wherein when the temperature of the temperature sensor of a respectiveone of the cabinet servers is less than a temperature of the temperaturesensor of each of the others of the cabinet servers, the controllercontrols the shielding members below the respective one of the cabinetservers to rotate, the respective one of the opening sizes of thethrough hole of the corresponding one of the airflow adjusting apparatusis decreased, to allow the airflow of the cool air flowing through thecorresponding one of the air outlets of the raised floor to decrease. 4.The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein when the temperature ofthe temperature sensor of a respective one of the cabinet servers isless than a temperature of the temperature sensor of each of others ofthe cabinet servers, the controller controls the shielding members belowthe respective one of the cabinet servers to rotate, a respective one ofthe opening sizes of the through hole of a corresponding one of theairflow adjusting apparatus is decreased, to allow an airflow of thecool air flowing through the corresponding one of the air outlets of theraised floor to decrease.
 5. A heat dissipation system for dissipatingheat for a plurality of cabinet servers supported on a container, thecontainer comprising a bottom wall and a raised floor defining aplurality of air outlets adjacent to the cabinet servers, an airflowchannel being defined between the bottom wall and the raised floor, theheat dissipation system comprising: a condenser; a controller; aplurality of airflow adjusting apparatus, wherein, in use, the pluralityof airflow adjusting apparatus are mounted to the raised floor andaligning with the plurality of air outlets, each of the airflowadjusting apparatus comprises: a plurality of shielding members belowthe raised floor and rotatable to enable the airflow channel tocommunicate with a corresponding one of the air outlets; and a motorelectrically coupled to the controller; and a temperature sensor locatedat an air exhaust of each of the cabinet servers and configured tomeasure temperature of the air exhaust of a respective one of thecabinet servers; wherein, in use, the condenser generates cool air, thecool air firstly enters the airflow channel, then passes through theplurality of air outlets of the raised floor and the airflow adjustingapparatus to enter the cabinet servers, wherein according to thetemperatures of the air exhausts, the controller controls the motor ofeach of the airflow adjusting apparatus to rotate the shielding memberstoward each other or to deviate from each other to adjust airflowflowing through the air outlets of the raised floor, wherein each of theairflow adjusting apparatus further comprises a bracket mounted to theraised floor, the bracket defines a through hole aligning with thecorresponding one of the air outlets of the raised floor, the shieldingmembers are rotatably installed to the bracket and received in thethrough hole, wherein the bracket comprises two opposite end plates andtwo opposite side plates connected between the end plates, the endplates and the side plates cooperatively bound the through hole, theplurality of shielding members is rotatably installed between the endplates along a direction parallel to the side plates, wherein the endplates define a plurality pairs of opposite shaft holes, each of theshielding members comprises a plate received in the through hole, twoopposite shafts extending out from two ends of the plate and rotatablyreceived in the shaft holes of a corresponding pair of the pairs of theopposite shaft holes, and a gear fitted about one of the two oppositeshafts, the gear of each of the plurality of shielding members islocated outside a same one of the end plates, the gear and each adjacentgear mesh with each other, the motor comprises a drive gear meshing withonly one gear of each of the airflow adjusting apparatus, and whereinthe bracket comprises a mounting plate extends out from one of the endplates adjacent to the gear and each adjacent gear, the motor comprisesa main body mounted to the mounting plate.
 6. The heat dissipationsystem of claim 5, wherein when the temperature of the temperaturesensor of the respective one of the cabinet servers is greater than atemperature of the temperature sensor of each of others of the cabinetservers, the controller controls the shielding members below therespective one of the cabinet servers to rotate to deviate from eachother, to allow an airflow of the cool air flowing through thecorresponding one of the air outlets of the raised floor to increase. 7.The heat dissipation system of claim 6, wherein when the temperature ofthe temperature sensor of the respective one of the cabinet servers isless than a temperature of the temperature sensor of each of the othersof the cabinet servers, the controller controls the shielding membersbelow the respective one of the cabinet servers to rotate to toward eachother, to allow the airflow of the cool air flowing through thecorresponding one of the air outlets of the raised floor to decrease. 8.The heat dissipation system of claim 5, wherein when the temperature ofthe temperature sensor of the respective one of the cabinet servers isless than a temperature of the temperature sensor of each of others ofthe cabinet servers, the controller controls the shielding members belowthe respective one of the cabinet servers to rotate to toward eachother, to allow an airflow of the cool air flowing through thecorresponding one of the air outlets of the raised floor to decrease. 9.A container data center, comprising: a container comprising a bottomwall, a top wall and a raised floor located between the top wall and thebottom wall, the bottom wall and the raised floor cooperatively bound anairflow channel, wherein the raised floor defines a plurality of airoutlets; a plurality of cabinet servers supported on the raised floor,and each of the cabinet servers adjacent to a corresponding one of theair outlets, each of the cabinet servers defining an air inlet facingthe corresponding one of the air outlets of the raised floor, and an airexhaust; a condenser supported on the raised floor, and connected to theair inlet; a controller; a plurality of airflow adjusting apparatusmounted to the raised floor and each of the plurality of airflowadjusting apparatus aligning with the corresponding one of the airoutlets, and comprising: a plurality of shielding members below theraised floor and rotatable to enable the airflow channel to communicatewith the corresponding one of the air outlets; and a motor electricallycoupled to the controller; and a temperature sensor located at an airexhaust of each of the cabinet servers and configured to measuretemperature of the air exhaust of a respective one of the cabinetservers; wherein, the container further comprises a partition plateconnected between a top of each of the cabinet servers and the top wall,to divide the container into a heat channel located at one side of thecabinet server and a cooling channel located at an opposite side of thecabinet server, the air exhaust is communicated with the heat channel,the air inlet communicates with the cooling channel and the airflowchannel, in use, the condenser generates cool air, the cool air firstlyenters the airflow channel, then passes through the plurality of airoutlets of the raised floor and the airflow adjusting apparatus to enterthe cooling channel, wherein according to the temperatures of the airoutlets, the controller controls the motor of each of the airflowadjusting apparatus to rotate the shielding members toward each other orto deviate from each other to adjust airflow flowing through the airoutlets of the raised floor, wherein each airflow adjusting apparatusfurther comprises a bracket mounted to the raised floor, the bracketdefines a through hole aligning with the corresponding one of the airoutlets of the raised floor, the shielding members are rotatablyinstalled to the bracket and received in the through hole, wherein thebracket comprises two opposite end plates and two opposite side platesconnected between the end plates, the end plates and the side platescooperatively bound the through hole, the plurality of shielding membersis rotatably installed between the end plates along a direction parallelto the side plates, wherein the end plates define a plurality pairs ofopposite shaft holes, each of the shielding members comprises a platereceived in the through hole, two opposite shafts extending out from twoends of the plate and rotatably received in the shaft holes of acorresponding pair of the pairs of the opposite shaft holes, and a gearfitted about one of the two opposite shafts, the gear of each of theplurality of shielding members is located outside a same one of the endplates, the gear and each adjacent gear mesh with each other, the motorcomprises a drive gear meshing with only one gear of each of the airflowadjusting apparatus, and wherein the bracket comprises a mounting plateextends out from one of the end plates adjacent to the gear and eachadjacent gear, the motor comprises a main body mounted to the mountingplate.
 10. The container data center of claim 9, wherein when thetemperature of the temperature sensor of the respective one of thecabinet servers is greater than a temperature of the temperature sensorof each of others of the cabinet servers, the controller controls theshielding members below the respective one of the cabinet servers torotate, an opening size of the through hole of a corresponding one ofthe airflow adjusting apparatus is increased, to allow the airflow ofthe cool air flowing through the corresponding one of the air outlets ofthe raised floor to increase.
 11. The container data center of claim 9,wherein when the temperature of the temperature sensor of the respectiveone of the cabinet servers is less than a temperature of the temperaturesensor of each of others of the cabinet servers, the controller controlsthe shielding members below the respective one of the cabinet servers torotate, an opening size of the through hole of a corresponding one ofthe airflow adjusting apparatus is decreased, to allow the airflow ofthe cool air flowing through the corresponding one of the air outlets ofthe raised floor to decrease.
 12. The container data center of claim 11,wherein when the temperature of the temperature sensor of the respectiveone of the cabinet servers is less than a temperature of the temperaturesensor of each of the others of the cabinet servers, the controllercontrols the shielding members below the respective one of the cabinetservers to rotate, an opening size of the through hole of thecorresponding one of the airflow adjusting apparatus is decreased, toallow the airflow of the cool air flowing through the corresponding oneof the air outlets of the raised floor to decrease.